VISIT OF UNICEF KNOLWEDGE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST ABUJA AND THE SOCIAL POLICY OFFICER, ENUGU REGIONAL OFFICE TO THE UNVEIRSITY OF NIGERIA NSUKKA ON 14TH MAY 2025
UNICEF Team comprising of the Knowledge Management Specialist, Safiya Akau and the Enugu Regional Social Policy Officer, Victor Chima paid a visit to the Institute of Social Policy, University of Nigeria on the 14th of May, 2025.The purpose of the visit was to evaluate the relevance, knowledge impact, how the programmes of the Institute of Social Policy compare with international best practices, and to appraise challenges. The Institute of Social Policy is the first of its kind in Nigeria, offering postgraduate programmes and short courses in social policy. It was established through the collaboration of UNICEF and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka following series of capacity building and curricula development workshops, and, the processing and approval of the programmes by the University Senate.
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Oguejiofor Ujam, who had to excuse himself briefly from the ongoing University Governing Council Meeting, was excited to receive the visiting UNICEF Officials to the University. He extended his appreciation and greetings to the UNICEF Country Rep Ms. Cristian Munduate and the Chief of Social Policy Dr. Hamidou Poufon, who were unable to lead the team as a result of other pressing engagements. He remarked that the Institute had already taken off offering postgraduate programmes in Social Policy as planned, with the formal approval of the programmes by the University Senate last year. He observes that the Institute is already contributing towards ensuring a more sustainable access to professional social policy analysts and programmers in the country with the entrenched capacity building of university lecturers, who are now experts in the field training students and developing manpower capacity for other Universities, Government and NGOs. He noted that the UNN as the first in this specialised study area in the country, will continue to impact knowledge in the development of social policy and in training professionals for practice.
The Vice Chancellor later handed over to the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Prof Romanus Ezeokonkwo, who was part of the processes of establishing the Institute starting from when he was the Provost of the College of Post-Graduate Studies, to further interact with the UNICEF Team as he went back to the Council meeting. The UNICEF Team interacted with various groups including the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Professor Romanus Ezeokonkwo, the Director of the Institute, Professor Okey Ikeanyibe, the former Director of the University’s Directorate of International Collaboration, Professor Chike Ofuebe, some Faculty members of the Institute and the students.
It is hoped that these interactions will lead to greater synergy in building the Institute towards more glaring impact.
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